Group-owned radio station Heartland FM is celebrating 30 years of broadcasting to the area of Highland Perthshire.
The Scottish rural station started broadcasting on an element -time foundation on March 21, 1992 when a gaggle of volunteers and native media activists noticed a requirement for a small-scale radio station in an space that was underserved by typical broadcasting.
The radio station has since moved on to full-time broadcasting, and has been supported by the group of Highland Perthshire since its inception.
It's the longest working community-owned station of its form in Scotland.
To rejoice, Heartland FM is broadcasting week-long celebrations, together with a two-day radio marathon on March 24-25, when Breakfast presenter Graham Howie and station supervisor Alistair Smith will broadcast stay from the window of Heartland FM’s studios on Atholl Street in Pitlochry.
The station can be broadcasting a sequence of “Previous, Current and Future” interviews, wherein volunteers from all durations of Heartland FM’s broadcasting historical past share their views and tales concerning the station’s journey.
The station celebrated 4 awards on the UK-wide Group Radio Awards in 2021, taking house one gold, two silver and one bronze awards - together with the silver award for Station of the 12 months.
Station supervisor Alistair Smith stated: “My involvement with Heartland FM started simply over three years in the past, when a chance arose to put in a brand new audio playout system forward of a transfer to new premises.
“I'm delighted that Heartland FM has been ahead pondering and invested its energies into audio, digital and on-line media to safe a working mannequin for the long run.”
Chairman Graham Huggins commented: “I'm so pleased with the entire workforce at Heartland, who've proven unimaginable resilience and teamwork - particularly over the past couple of years.
“They've needed to study many information abilities to make sure we didn't lose focus of our essential goal: to be the Voice of Highland Perthshire.”
Over the previous few years, Heartland FM has moved in the direction of a multi-media mannequin, and produces content material for radio, net, social media, and its digital journal, IRIS.
“The best way individuals interact with radio is altering”, stated Smith.
“However because the previous two years has proven us, group stations are nonetheless as essential as they had been within the ‘90s.
“By supplementing our radio output with digital content material, we’re in a position to match the evolving wants of our group, and keep related after three many years.”